Chapter 4 IV

After the formal introductions and an intense scrutiny of Ella by Henry Murphy, he rubbed his jaw in annoyance and exclaimed, "Oh, for crying out loud!" thereby confirming his dissatisfaction. Amanda Lee swiftly intervened, stating, "Mr. Murphy, I could not find anyone else available on such short notice. Mr. Macbeth assured me that Ms. Brown here is exceedingly competent and has a comprehensive command of the language." Henry Murphy responded by saying, "That may be true, but she looks about 18 and as if she's run away from her convent school."

Ella opened her mouth to object, "I can assure you, sir, that I am 23 years old. And if I may make a suggestion, is it wise to judge a book by its cover?" After a brief pause, she repeated her response in Italian, respectfully bowing to Mr. Cassano, who was a member of the interpreting team.

Following a lengthy exchange with Ella, he performed a bow towards her and directed his words towards Henry Murphy, "Very fluent, Mr. Murphy, very correct and respectful."

As the ensuing silence filled the room with tension, Henry Murphy locked eyes with Ella and studied her once more from head to toe. He came to the conclusion that she might not be eighteen. Although she had removed her bulky jacket upon arrival, there was hardly any shape to her. Additionally, her slippery, shiny mass of mousey hair was coming loose in all directions from the knot she had tied it in. She was wearing steel-rimmed spectacles, a tracksuit, and sheepskin boots, and did not look soignée, which was precisely what he required.

Henry Murphy realized that it might not be impossible unless he gave Ms. Brown another look. When you were a little on the dumpy side, height is always a good thing. Surprisingly, her skin was quite creamy, her eyes were tawny hazel and crystal clear, and her hands were slim and elegant.

He made a request and narrowed his own thoughts. "Would you mind taking a moment to remove your glasses?" Henry Murphy nodded, and Ella did as she was requested after blinking. Her tawny hazel eyes were crystal clear and fascinating.

"I'm grateful, Mr. Cassano. Miss Brown, please sit down," Henry Murphy said as he pointed to an armchair made of brown leather. Ella sat down, and he took a seat across from her, placing his arm along the sofa's back. He asked, "Tell me about your background and how you came to speak Italian."

Ella replied, "The Diplomatic Corps was where my father served. I had what you could call a globe-trotting childhood," she chuckled, "and languages seem to come naturally to me. During our five-year stay in Milan, I learned Italian."

"A background in diplomacy," he said thoughtfully. "So, do you intend to pursue a career as an interpreter?"

She jokingly responded, "Not really, but it is a good way to keep up my skills and keep the wolf from the door. However, my personal goal is to join the Diplomatic Corps. I just graduated from university, where I studied languages."

Henry Murphy gave his dark hair a ruffle before asking the sudden question, "Would you object to a makeover?"